1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates to devices for providing support and protection for a patient's arms during medical procedures.
2. Description of the Related Art
Often during medical procedures, for example surgery, a patient may be under a general anesthetic or sedated to such an extent that he or she cannot protect or support himself/herself, as well as voice or indicate pain or discomfort to those in care of him/her. In addition, the precision and accuracy of the outcome of the medical procedure may be greatly improved by maintaining the patient in a secure and motionless position. The medical staff is responsible for taking every precaution to protect the patient when he or she is most vulnerable and unable to protect himself/herself.
A number of devices have been developed to support and protect the arms of a patient in these circumstances. Rigid arm boards, on which the patient's arms are placed in various degrees of abduction from their body, often work quite well. However, when medical personnel need the arms positioned close to the body, these arm boards may prove too bulky and can often interfere with access to the patient for both the staff and equipment. In certain laparoscopic surgeries, including robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery, the patient's arms need to be snuggly adducted to their sides. Often a draw sheet is placed under the patient and the arms are tucked in to the patient's side. This maneuver can sometimes dislodge sites of vascular access or binding and create pressure points along the patient's arms, resulting in injury and damage to the nerves, which can be more problematic for the patient's recovery than the original surgery.
Arm sleds or toboggans (named for their resemblance to such items) have also been used with varying success. These are often made of rigid plastic or metal. The “C” shaped end of these devices cradles the arm and the extended portion passes under the mattress beneath the patient. These devices can be cumbersome to position since the mattress on a surgical table is usually secured in the middle from head to toe with a wide strip of VELCRO® brand hook-and-loop fasteners. Most often the sled has to be positioned with the mattress lifted up. If sleds are needed for both arms, the mechanics of the problem become compounded. In addition, these sleds are very rigid, can interfere with the access of the medical staff to the patient, and are not very forgiving of the soft tissue or bones of the patient. Additional padding is often required, and pressure points are common since the weight of the patient's arm is not evenly distributed. Finally these devices can interfere with radiographic imaging, especially the metal sleds.
A number of arm supports have been developed. Many rely on single or multiple straps or strap and buckle variations to secure the arms to the patient's side. In some models the patient ultimately rests on top of the strap which can press into the skin of the back. In other devices, releasing the device requires moving the patient from side to side. Certain devices support only the forearm. Existing devices may not evenly distribute or support the weight of the arm, which may create pressure points, which in turn may cause injuries.
Some devices, for example the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,666, cover part of the torso of the patient as well as the arms, which may interfere with medical procedures. Other devices, for example the device describe in U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2005/0091749, have protector sections that wrap over the arm from the outside of the arm and that are connected to a surface of the device. The attachment tape that connects the protector sections to the surface is positioned between the patient's arm and the patient's body, so it may be difficult to see the attachment tape to secure or release it, especially if the patient's body is resting on the attachment tape. Also, because the attachment tape connects to a protector section at only one point, an entire protector section must be either secured around the arm or not secured around the arm. Some other devices, for example the device describe in U.S. Patent Pub. 2008/0053464, have sleeves that hold the arms and have straps to secure the device in place. However, these straps may create pressure points, and the sleeves allow an entire arm to only be either covered or uncovered. Also, positioning the arm in the sleeve may require moving the patient's body.